10 Sales Video Email Mistakes That Hurt Your B2B Sales
- CEO at DeckLinks, Speaker, Podcast Host
- Published on November 5, 2022
- Updated on August 29, 2024
Table of Contents
Your sales emails are like first dates – awkward introductions and rookie mistakes can ruin your chances before you even get started. Avoid tanking response rates with these 10 sales video email mistakes that damage credibility and hurt B2B sales. This article unpacks the most common errors sales reps make that sabotage open rates and prevent building rapport from the get-go. Read on to learn how small tweaks can optimize your video emails and turn painful first impressions into successful sales relationships.
The use of sales video emails has been on the rise in B2B sales in recent years, and for good reason. As prospects and clients become inundated with traditional forms of communication, such as traditional emails and phone calls, finding a new way to capture their attention is crucial. Using sales video emails in the B2B sales process allows sales professionals to personalize their messaging and share it in a dynamic and easily consumable video format.
According to the research paper (Reaching the Visual Learner: Teaching Property Through Art) by William C. Bradford, over 65 percent of the general population are visual learners. Not only that but our brains are wired to process visual information fast, MIT neuroscientists found that the brain can identify visuals we see in as little as 13 milliseconds.
For B2B sales teams looking to increase sales engagement and build and maintain sales momentum incorporating video sales emails into their sales strategy is a no-brainer. Although many B2B sales reps have started using video sales email, they are not utilizing it to its fullest potential and still making common mistakes.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Avoid trying to perfect your sales video emails. Focus on natural delivery rather than a polished, overly rehearsed pitch. Small mistakes can make you seem more genuine.
- Don’t add unnecessary animations or stock images as they serve no purpose and distract the viewer from your message. Visuals should help explain your offerings.
- Have a video selling strategy instead of treating video emails as a one-off. Regular personalized video outreach boosts sales engagement and relationships.
- Use video analytics to identify hot leads, optimize collateral, and time follow-ups. Granular data helps sales reps better understand prospects.
- Personalize each video email to show you understand prospects’ needs. Generic outreach signals laziness and hurts response rates. Use data to tailor messaging.
- Have realistic expectations for video email success. View rates depend on many factors. Continually optimize strategy based on data like open rates.
- Always include a clear call-to-action in your video email so prospects know the desired next step, whether scheduling a call or visiting your site.
- Avoid excessive industry jargon and technical terms in favor of clear, straightforward language accessible to all viewers. Jargon can confuse and alienate.
- Don’t rush through your entire pitch in the video. Overwhelming prospects with too much info can backfire. Focus on key details and leave room for follow-up.
- Don’t simply read off your slides. Demonstrate expertise by speaking confidently without relying on slides as a script. Use them to emphasize key points.
Here’s the list of the most common mistakes B2B sales reps are making when using sales video emails:
1. Sales reps try to perfect their video sales emails
One of the biggest mistakes sales reps make when creating sales video emails is trying to record a perfect sales video. Some spend hours on several takes, resulting in a polished but unauthentic sales video. However, it’s important to remember that prospects and clients want to feel like they are having a conversation with a real person, not listening to a rehearsed sales pitch. A few mistakes or pauses may even add a level of credibility and sincerity to the video sales email.
Instead of aiming for perfection, a business development representative should focus on showing their unique personality and delivering their message more naturally and clearly. It is a far more effective approach for building trust, credibility, and a strong connection with a prospect or client.
So next time you hit record, let go of any pressure to record a perfect sales video email and focus on conveying your genuine enthusiasm for the product or service you’re selling. The results will speak for themselves.
Showcase your brand.
Create company profiles with custom banners and info-packages tailored to different industries.
Show your contact info easily accessible by your prospects and clients.
Add custom CTAs to drive prospects or clients to your calendar, sign up form, etc.
Collect feedback from prospects and clients. Feedback and reactions are not publicly visible.
Share any existing PDF presentations and documents.
2. Sales reps add distracting visual elements to video emails
A lot of sales reps are guilty of trying to “spice up” their sales video emails by adding unnecessary visual elements and animations. However, these animations and graphics often distract from the true purpose of the sales video – communicating the value of your product or service.
One of the biggest offenders is stock images that many sales professionals and marketers add to their sales collateral in an effort to fill the white space on their presentation slides or make them look pretty. These stock images serve absolutely no practical purpose and do not help sales reps convey their message in video sales emails.
The main question sales professionals and marketers should be asking themselves when picking images for their sales videos: Does this image help the prospects and clients understand our offerings better?
Instead of distracting prospects and clients with flashy visuals and animations, sales reps should focus on picking the right visuals, clearly explaining what sets their offerings apart from the competition and how they will help their potential client achieve their business goals. This straightforward approach helps ensure that prospects have a better understanding of the offerings, reducing knowledge gaps, and leading to increased conversions.
At the end of the day, when it comes to sales videos, less is often more. B2B sales professionals should stick to clean and professional sales presentations and let their messaging and charisma do the selling.
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3. Sales reps don't have a video selling strategy
The truth is, sending one sales video email and expecting immediate results is one of the biggest mistakes people in B2B sales make. Instead, sales teams should develop a video selling strategy that involves using video sales emails regularly as part of their overall sales process. Sales video emails should be combined with other tactics such as building relationships with prospects and clients on social media channels like LinkedIn to increase sales engagement.
This effort will pay off in the long run, leading to an improved buying experience and more engaged relationships with customers. High-performing sales reps don’t treat video sales emails as a one-off tactic and integrate sales videos into a more comprehensive video-selling strategy and overall sales process. Implementing a diverse communication plan not only boosts response rates but also showcases professionalism and dedication to delivering value for clients.
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4. Sales reps don't take advantage of video analytics
Most video sales tools provide some sort of video analytics and sales engagement metrics. Some of the most basic ones can show when a video sales email was opened and if the recipient finished watching the video. The more sophisticated sales video tools like DeckLinks, provide more granular sales engagement data allowing sales reps to better understand their prospects and clients and see how they are viewing and interacting with their sales video emails and sales collateral.
This is how sales video email analytics can help sales reps:
- Identify the most engaged prospects and clients.
- Know when to follow-up.
- Write better and more relevant follow-ups.
- Start more meaningful conversations with prospects and clients.
- Prepare for upcoming sales meetings.
- Optimize their sales collateral.
- Identify decision-makers.
5. Sales reps don't personalize sales video emails
Personalization is key when reaching out to prospects and clients. Sending a generic sales video email, without tailoring it to the specific interests and needs of the recipient, is a missed opportunity. B2B sales are highly competitive and this kind of generic outreach can come across as lazy and unprofessional. It also signals to the potential client that the sales rep has not taken the time to truly understand their business and what they might be looking for.
More generic video sales emails can be used by business development representatives when they are prospecting hundreds of B2B companies at a time. And even then there should be a great degree of personalization. However, when a sales rep or an account executive is targeting specific accounts video sales email personalization should be their highest priority.
Statistics
According to our data, if a sales video email doesn’t capture the attention of a recipient within the first 17 seconds, the recipient will drop off. Crossing that mark increases the chance that the recipient will watch at least 2 minutes of the video by 52%.
Prospects and especially decision-makers often have busy schedules. That’s why it is so important to personalize sales video emails to demonstrate that the sales rep has done their research, has a solution to help address the pain points, and is genuinely interested in creating a mutually beneficial partnership.
So when it comes to crafting video sales emails, sales reps that are looking to build rapport, increase response rates and build credibility need to take the extra time to personalize their sales videos.
6. Sales reps have unrealistic expectations from sales video emails
Sending sales videos via email can be a powerful tool for engaging prospects and clients but it’s important not to overestimate how much impact they can have. Many sales professionals that just started using video emails have unrealistic expectations for these emails, expecting them to instantly hook and convert prospective clients.
In reality, the success of a sales video email depends on many factors, including the timing of when it was sent, the recipient, the video itself, etc. It’s also important to remember that your target audience is receiving numerous other emails at the same time, so your email may get lost in the noise. That’s why it’s necessary to track metrics like open rates and click-throughs, and continually optimize your email strategy. Including the word “video” in the email subject line helps increase email open rate.
Sales reps also need to ensure that they are targeting the right people at the company and their message is resonating with them. As with any sales tool, having realistic expectations and putting in some time and practice is the key to truly realizing video sales email potential.
Video in the email subject line increases email open rates.
7. Sales reps don't include a clear call to action
The purpose of a sales video is to persuade a potential customer to take a certain action, like booking a call or making a purchase, but too often sales professionals forget one crucial step – including a clear call to action in their sales video email.
Sales reps that do not specify the next step for the potential clients run the risk of losing the sales momentum and even losing a potential customer. Including a specific call to action, whether it be scheduling a follow-up call or visiting the company website to learn more, can help move the prospect down the sales funnel.
If you managed to get the attention of a prospective client don’t let this valuable opportunity go to waste – always include a clear call to action in your video sales emails.
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8. Sales reps use too much technical jargon in a video email
One big mistake that sales reps constantly make is stuffing their sales video emails with technical jargon and industry lingo, thinking it makes them sound impressive and knowledgeable. However, what they fail to realize is that this can alienate potential customers who may not understand the technical jargon being used.
It’s important to remember that not everyone has the same level of familiarity with technical jargon, so using simpler language can actually make the message more accessible and effective. Demonstrating this knowledge through clear and concise language will go a long way in connecting with the target audience and closing the sale. Simply put, it’s worth trimming away any excess industry jargon in favor of straightforward language when it comes to video sales emails.
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9. Sales reps rush through the sales video email to share more information
The goal of a sales representative is to educate potential customers about their product and close the sale. When recording a video email, sales representatives often fall into the trap of thinking more information is better. As a result, they rush through their sales video email, cramming in all the details about their product or service in one breathless pitch.
However, this approach can have the opposite effect and can actually do more harm than good. By quickly rattling off facts and features, sales reps run the risk of confusing and overwhelming the customer. The key is to focus on quality over quantity. Take the time to tailor your pitch to each prospective client, addressing their specific needs and demonstrating how your product can solve their problems. This approach not only helps potential clients see the value in what you’re offering, but it also shows that you truly care about meeting their needs and building a lasting relationship.
A careful balance of providing essential details while leaving room for follow-up will make for a much stronger pitch and an increased likelihood of closing the sale.
Rushing through your video sales email may seem like an efficient way to cover all your bases, but it can harm your chances in the long run. Slow down, personalize your pitch, focus on quality over quantity, and leave room for a continued conversation.
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10. Sales reps are reading the slides when recording a video email
In the world of B2B sales, first impressions are vital. As more and more communication takes place through asynchronous videos, sales professionals have the opportunity to showcase their expertise and professionalism allowing potential clients to familiarize themselves with their products or services at their convenience.
However, one big mistake that can immediately undermine the first impression that many sales reps make when recording these videos is reading directly off their slides. Not only does it appear as though the sales rep lacks knowledge about the topic, but it also creates a monotonous viewing experience for the audience.
It’s important to ensure that you are familiar enough with your sales collateral to speak confidently and smoothly without relying on the slides for every word. Instead, use them as a visual aid to supplement and emphasize key points, rather than as a crutch for your delivery. This way, you can demonstrate your understanding of the topic and create a compelling sales video email that will engage potential clients and help you build credibility and trust.
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How to create sales video emails
DeckLinks is a video platform for sales teams that makes it easy to turn any existing PDF presentation or document into an interactive video PDF that can be shared via email or social media. All you have to do is upload the PDF and record a video narration. If you have product demo videos, you can even embed them right into your video PDF.
Showcase your brand.
Create company profiles with custom banners and info-packages tailored to different industries.
Show your contact info easily accessible by your prospects and clients.
Add custom CTAs to drive prospects or clients to your calendar, sign up form, etc.
Collect feedback from prospects and clients. Feedback and reactions are not publicly visible.
Share any existing PDF presentations and documents.
4x Sales Content Engagement
Record and share Video PDF presentations and proposals and WOW your prospects and clients with the most personal customer experience. Access engagement analytics. Learn more.
The video PDF can then be shared via a trackable link, which allows you to access detailed engagement analytics and identify the most engaged prospects and clients, understand their interests better, time follow-ups more effectively, and help prepare for sales meetings.
Hitting sales targets and quotas is easy with video PDFs!
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FAQs
What is a common mistake sales reps make in video emails?
A big mistake sales reps often make is focusing too much on their product or service, rather than addressing the prospect’s needs. This can hurt response rates and damage the relationship with potential clients.
Why is the subject line so important for sales video emails?
The subject line is the first impression your video email makes and entices people to open. Taking time to research and test optimized subject lines that build credibility and rapport with each individual prospect is crucial to improving open and response rates.
How can sales reps ensure their video emails inspire action?
Sales reps should clearly explain the prospect’s problem, how your product or service solves it, the desired action you want the recipient to take, and make it easy for them to follow-up or purchase. This establishes trust and motivates the desired action.
How can sales professionals build credibility in video emails?
Sales professionals can build credibility in video emails by showcasing expertise, sharing testimonials, and addressing pain points. This helps build rapport with prospects and increases the likelihood of a positive response.
How can sales emails be optimized for better response rates?
To optimize sales emails for better response rates, ensure the content is relevant, concise, and personalized. Additionally, include a clear call-to-action that guides the recipient towards the desired action.
Why is building rapport important in sales video emails?
Building rapport in sales video emails is essential, as it helps establish trust and fosters a connection with prospects. This can lead to higher response rates and a greater likelihood of closing deals.
What are the benefits of using video in sales emails?
Using video in sales emails can boost open rates, build credibility, and foster stronger connections with prospects. Videos are more engaging than text alone, making them an effective tool for driving desired action.
About the Author
Lidia Vijga is a seasoned professional with 10 years of first-hand experience in B2B sales and B2B marketing. She has a proven track record of driving growth for companies across various industries. Throughout her career, Lidia has led numerous successful sales campaigns and implemented innovative marketing strategies that have significantly increased revenue and reduced customer acquisition cost for her clients. Lidia regularly shares her insights and experiences on LinkedIn, webinars, and public speaking engagements. Lidia believes in the power of personal qualities such as kindness, empathy, and the willingness to understand others. She is committed to empowering client-facing teams with tools that enhance their talent instead of automating it, and she firmly believes that teams that show their human side grow companies much faster.
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